Spring-clip for automobile-chain fasteners.



Z. RICE. SPRING CLIP FOR AUTOMOBILE CHAIN, FASTENERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-7115MB va w IfatmteI. Em. 46, R114.

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ZAGHAR IAH E. RICE, 0F LANDISBURG, PENNSYIiVAiNIA.

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Specificationof Letters Iatent.

Patented Mar. 20,1917.

Application filed A ril 7, 1916. Serial No. 89,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZACHARIAH E; RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Landisburg, in the county of Perry and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Clips for Automobile-Chain Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved spring clip for use in connection with the hook member and guard casing of an automobile tire chain to prevent the guard casing from opening and thereby casually detachlng the chain, the object of the invention being to provide an improved clip of this kind which may be'readily attached toand used in connection with an automobile tire chain fastener. l

The invention consists of a spring-clip for arrangement on one side of an automobile chain fastener, and havinga substantially semi-circular hook'at one end to permanently engage the outer side of the hook member and having a comparatively shallow hook at the opposite end to detachably engage the outer edge of the guard casing, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the fastener of an automobile tire chain in closed position and provided with one of my improved cli s.

*ig. 2 is a similar view showing the opposite side ofthe fastener and clip.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 3'3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the spring clip. I

For the purposes of this specification, the fastener of an automobile tire chain 1, is here shown, said fastener comprising the usual hook member 2 and the usual casing guard 3, one end of which is pivotally con' nected to the hook member by one of the chain links as at 4. A practical defect of the fastener is that the guard casing is liable to become casually moved to open position and hence to release the chain. My invention is a spring clip for use in connection with the hook member and guard casing of the fastener, to

prevent the fastener from casually opening.

My improved spring clip 5. is of a length and breadth adapting it to be arranged transversely on one side of the fastener, near the pivotal end and is provided at one end with a relatively deep substantially semi-circular hook 6, to permanently engage around the outer side of the hook mem er and secure the clip thereto and is provided at the opposite end with a shallow, substantially C-sha'ped hook 7 to snap over the outer edged the easing guard '3, when the latter is in closed POSltiOIL- The clip, by the provision of the deep hook 6 remains Secured to the hook member, while its shallow C-shaped hook may be snapped over or detached from'the uard casing 3, as desired. One of-the chain inks 1 against the end of which the. clip, 5 bears, as'shown in Fig. 1, prevents the clip from moving endwise of the hook member.

Owing to its'tension, the clip retains its position on the fastener and its hook 7 securely looks the guard casing so that the latter cannot be opened unlesslthe hook 7 of the clip has been'first, by theintent of the user, detached therefrom. p

Having described the invention, what is claimed 1s:

In combination with the hook member and pivoted guard casingof an automobile tire chain fastener, aspring clip arranged transversely of and on oneside of the fastener .and provided with a deep substantially semicircular hook at one end engaging around one side of the hook member and detachably but securelyv fasteningthe clip thereto, theclip being provided at the opposite :3 a shallowsubstantially C-shaped hook adapted to snap over the outer edge 'of the guard casing and to be released therefrom,-

guard fasten to permit t opening of the ing, without removing the clip.

In'testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

' -ZACHAR IAH EJRIOE. Witnesses: I

JOHN C. Morren, C. A. Zone.- 

